Capillary means for forwarding lubricant from the evaporator of refrigerating systems



Dec. 1, 1931. F wANDREWS 1,834,137

CAPILLARY MEANS FOR FORWARDING LUBRICANT FRO! THE EVAPORATOR OF REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Filed May 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

B A B 0 5 WWW 7 6 INVENTOR BY flaw 4W 1 ATTORN EY Dec. 1, 1931. p w ANDREWS 71,834,137

CAPILLARY MEANS FOR FORWARDING LUBRICANT FROM THE EVAPORATOR OF REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Filed May 21, 1928. Z SheatsSheei 2 INVENTOR BY Wm aw ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK W. ANDREWS, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO AIEX ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A COB- PORATION OF OHIO CAPILLARY MEANS F03 FOBWABDING LUBRICANT FROM THE EVAPORATOB REFBIGEBATING' SYSTEMS Application filed May 21,

' refrigerant when the system is charged and sealed, to effectually lubricate all moving parts where friction would cause wear.

This invention is limited to so-called flooded system refrigeration apparatus and particularly as applied to the boiler or evaporator of such apparatus; the broad invention being covered by my pendin application on Method of and means for lu ricating refr geration systems, filed Mar. 19, 1928, Serial No. 262,815. a

The liquid refri erant in each boiler or evaporator should oil freely and the best ractical condition in such a flooded system is attained when there isthe smallest possible quantity of oil present in the boiler at any time. A large quantity of accumulated oil cools, and retards the evaporation of the refrigerant. Frequently, especially in multiple hookups such as shown in Fig. 1 an excessive accumulation of oil in the evaporator of one or more of the refrigerators causes those units to function more and more slowly and imperfectly and finally to cease functioning altogether. Sometimes in multiple hook-up installations when one or more refrigerators become oil logged there is not enough oil in circulation to properly lubri- .cate the compressor shaft seals squeak and bearings are ruine necessitating shutting down the whole system, and putting all the refrigerators out of use, causing great inconvenience to each user.

My invention is illustrated in the accompany'ing-drawings, in which Eigure'ris' a diagrammatic drawing of a compressor in the basement of an apartment housewith two refrigerators on the first floor, and'two on second floor, with liquid refrigerant supply and gas return pipes leading to otherhigher floors (not shown), the whole constituting a multiple hook-up flooded system of refrigeration such as is used in apartment buildings. Each refrigerator is equipped with a boiler or evaporator, cooling coil, etc., through which refrigerant is circu- 1928. Serial N0. 279,258.

lated by and through the compressor in the basement;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the ice chamber compartment at the upper right corner of a refrigerator with the evaporator and cooling coil secured in position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of F ig. 2, the float and valve mechanism being shown in full and the liquid inlet valve closed;

Fig. 1 is a view of the boiler only, similar to that of Fig. 3, and shows another form of valve lever secured to the float ball permitting a lower normal level and less quantity of the refrigerant in the boiler;

Fig. 5 is a vertical axial section throu h the boiler and shows another form of t e device;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the suction return vaporized refrigerant tube and attached oil forwarding means shown in Figs. v3 and 4, said View being mostly in vertical, axial section.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the oil tube shown in Fig. 5, bent to avoid the valve mechanism below it;

Fig. 8 is a detail of the oil tube and return vaporized refrigerant tube shown in Fig. 5,

said view being mostly in vertical axial sec-' tion, and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the liquid refrigerant receiver shown in Fig. 1, parts at the inlet and out-let being shown in vertical axial section.

Referring now to the drawings, and for the present particularly to Fig. 1 a compres- S01 1, driven by motor 2 by means of belt 3 has condenser coils 4, 4, connected to the compressor at 8, all mounted on base 5 which rests on the basement floor or any other conwhile lubricant also rises on the wick 12 at the right of tube lOby capillary attraction .and particles of lubricant are carried onward supporting strips 17 or in any convenient manner.

Within the evaporator 14 is a needle valve l8 controlling'the inlet 19 opened when float-ball 20 falls upon lowering of the level of the body of liquid refrigerant and lubricant, and closed when the float-ball 20 rises to the point shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The shape of the lever 30 may determine the height of the body of refrigerant and lubri cant in the evaporator at which the valve 18 closes. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) Gas passes through return suction vapor tube 21 in open communication with the outlet 22, -with or without baffle 23 underneath, and into this tube is connected preferably on the. under side, a tube 24 with slot 28 and provided with a wick 25 or other means for conveying the lubricant upwardly by capillary attraction. The wick is saturated with the lubricant be,- fore chargin the system with refrigerant and preferab y before insertionin the tube 24. An opening 26 is generally provided in the tube 21, and is usually designated as a vent, oil inlet or bubble breaker. The tube 24 may be bent as shown in Fig. 7 where the outlet 22 is directly above the inlet 19,

a refrigeration system of the flooded type through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant, an outlet above the liquid level in said evaporator, and a wick extending from a place contiguous to said outlet and in the path of gaseous refrigerant normally flowing therethrough downwardly into the body of accumulated lubricant.

2. In combination with the evaporator of a refrigeration system of the flooded type through which lubricant is circulated with refrigerant, an outlet above the liquid level in said evaporator, a perforated tube extending downwardly from a place contiguous to said outlet and in the ath of refrigerant flowing therethrough to the body of lubricant in said evaporator and a wick in said tube.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

- FRANK W. ANDREWS.

to avoid the valve 18 and attendant parts.

Another form of the device is shown in Fig. 5 the up er ends of the tubes 21 and 24 being para lel and united by brazing or soldering with a slot 27 providin open communication between them and tu e 24 closed at the top, and provided'with the slot 28.

Referring again to Fig. 1 it will be understood that the liquid supply pipe 13 is connected to each of the inlets 19 and that each of the outlets 22 is connected through return pi e 29 with the suction side of compressor '1. ile I have shown and described the best forms of the invention known to me, I do not wish to be limited to these forms, but claim any apparatus using a wick or other capillary means to carry over the lubricant from the evaporator of a refrigerating system of the flooded type toward the compressor as within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In combination with the evaporator of 

